ASK! Track and Field

Hello! :)

Knee injuries really suck. I had surgery done on my right knee, because I had problems too. Assuming you’ve already tried normal icing and heating and stretching, I suggests going to a trainer, or physical therapist. I thought the pain in my knee was minor as well, but I went to a therapist and got a MRI to be sure, and what do you know? An extra bone was growing on my knee, and the pain would only get worse as the bone grew. 0.0 Haha, i’m not saying your problems would be as extreme as mine where, I just think it’s always good to get a professional to look at these kinds of things. Maybe you need some good ol’ fashioned rest, too.

Good luck, and we hope you feel better soon!

-fckyeahtracknation

Hi! 

That’s really tough. Without a good coach, or at least consistent training, it’s going to be difficult to improve. That really upsets me, I think it’s disrespectful to deliberately train kids without much effort, especially with a sport as hard as track and field. I don’t care what anyone says, track is harder than most athletics and more things are conducive to a runner becoming successful than a lot of other sports. Sigh, anyways.

All good runners need good coaches, or at the very least, consistent training. There is no way to get better if you don’t practice. You don’t have many options, (besides transferring) so I suggest running for a track club, where you can get the coaching you need and the practice you need. If that isn’t possible, find another coach who could perhaps give you workouts to do on your own. I’m sorry to hear about your predicament. I wish I could help more. :(

—fckyeahtracknation

Yes, we are American:) A lot of our followers are Canadian though, I’ll publish this of course lol.

If any of our followers will be at the meet, contact sprintdreamachieve.tumblr.com :) 

Good luck! 

-fckyeahtracknation

Glad we could help! WOW, that is such a big difference from your previous PR, we’re glad you’re super excited! Yeah, sometimes long travel time can really affect performance, especially if it’s a car ride. :( Is Provincials this weekend, or did it already pass?

Thank you for keeping us updated, we love to hear from those who follow us, and we hope you’re proud of yourself!

-fckyeahtracknation

For an overall ab workout: http://www.mcps.k12.mt.us/sentinel/Sports%20Schedules/TrackInfo/PauletteMcMannis/UMTrackWorkouts.htm

For more technical aspects on how to do ab exercises properly (this video only goes over crunches, but what is said can apply to other ab exercises as well)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IhWltZbidQ

If these don’t work out for you, or you’re confused about any of the exercises listed, talk to us again and i’ll try to clarify! Hope we could help.

—fckyeahtracknation

Thank you! That’s the plan. It’s so much easier to ask someone who doesn’t claim to be a professional, and we admit, we don’t know everything. 

Our first fan mail, yayyy! 

Hi!

*sigh* I’m in the same boat you are. I haven’t focused on my 800m in quite a while, as lately i’ve been more concerned the 4. However, upon returning to college i’ll focus on bettering my PR in the 800m as well. 

800m in a way is very complicated, maybe not in technicalities like short sprints are, but in other ways. Most believe in a good base. As a runner who started as a short sprinter…i’m not too fond of cross country, but I admit, it helped me greatly. At times I worried about my 400 speed being compromised, but at the end of the day I saw no significance loss. As a 800/1600 kind of runner, I completely recommend XC.

During the season, light weights (no Olympic  weights, 800m runners aren’t particularly muscular) and a strong core. I don’t really like giving out specific work outs, but a 90% 600m, coupled with three 200m’s (short recovery) has worked really well for me. This question is very hard for me to answer, as i’ve had so many professionals tell me different things. 

A smart race (i think) holds more importance in the 800m, then in most other races. Strategy has much to do with whether you’re a 400/800 type of 800m or 800/1600. Talk to your coach, because my strategies never work. -___- haha. 

There are so many things that go in a 800m. I know I say this all the time, but really, you’d be surprised at how much just sitting down with the coach who trains you everyday, and expressing your fears, concerns, ANYTHING with them, can help. 

Good luck Anon!

-fckyeahtracknation

Ahhh, maybe OKC? …this is a track and field blog, lol.

Hi! :)

Ahh, I hate feeling like that. Confused as to why your times are moving in the opposite direction is the worst, because not only are you slowing down, you have no idea why. So frustrating. 

What track and field has taught me is that you won’t PR every race. At first, I would freak out if I run 56 one day, and then the next week run 57. Don’t let those performances throw you off. In your case, did that 14.2 change your mindset? Did you start to feel more nervous, and anxious to get back in the 13’s? That may of affected your performances. A little nervousness is always good, but being too anxious can hurt you.

In a short race like the 100m, weight can play a big part in how fast you run. For me, as a freshman in college, I was running slower and heavier then I did in high school, and I had no idea why. Then, I stepped on a scale and realized I gained 7 pounds! Not saying you should of starved yourself of anything like that of course, but did you ever notice any changes in your body?

Also, did your training change? Did you change coaches midway through the season? Were you really stressed out?

Honestly, it could be a lot of reasons why you slowed down. If you honestly feel like you did all you could of done last season, don’t let it eat you up. Focus on getting better for sophomore year! :)

Hope we could help. :)

-fckyeahtracknation.

Hi! :) 

For a freshmen in high school, your times are above average. At a young age, running sub-13 shows natural talent, it’s great that you’re getting serious about track. If you continue to progress, by your senior year, you can have a few good colleges lined up for scholarships. But that’s while from now, but to answer your question succinctly, YES those times are fine. :) 

I think you should join a track club. Like I said in another answer, join one that’s fun and make sure you still get time off during the summer. Some track clubs can really hone your skills, and fine tune technicalities, especially with short sprinting. For someone who seems to have raw talent like yourself, a track club (i think) will really put you to the top. Thanks for stopping by! :)

-fckyeahtracknation